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Spanish term

Lesley Jackson (X)

United States

299 questions

el borde de la norma

Spanish to English Medical Medical (general) audiometry

source: Puerto Rico. Pure tone audiometry report. Need the term of art for "el borde de la norma" -- Umbrales de audición en el borde de la norma excepto en 1kHz.

Proposed translations (English)

4	lower limit of normal range	1279 (X)
3	barely normal threshold hearing	MarinaM

Discussion

Lesley Jackson (X) (asker) Sep 20, 2007: Thank you, Liz, but no... didn't have the audiogram or other data. That was the problem; it's just a summary report. And I have decided that "within normal limits" is the only reading I can give it (see my note to Clare). This does fit with the rest of the report, too -- tympanometry, etc. Thanks again
liz askew Sep 20, 2007: Do you have any figures, so that we know what "en el borde de la norma" relates to... I think it - within normal range/limits for what it's worth, but we need more info, if you have it.
Lesley Jackson (X) (asker) Sep 19, 2007: please help Thanks for your suggestion, Marina. My first thought was the "borderline" idea, also, but I'm not sure about that. In researching, I see that there are audiometry testing protocols that support standardization of results. So I'm wondering if "norma" here refers to a norm or standard threshold... and maybe "en el borde de la norma" means that this patient met the standard (except at that one particular frequency, as noted). Please, does anyone have input on this?

Proposed translations

58 mins

MarinaM

Argentina

2236 answers

Native in Spanish

Specializes in field

barely normal threshold hearing

3 hrs

1279 (X)

22 answers

Native in English

lower limit of normal range

I've heard this expression used for many different kinds of medical tests, and there seems to be evidence online that it's used in audiometry reports as well. My search turned up a lot of links that I can't access (because they are members-only journals), but try a Google search on " "lower limit of normal range" + audiometry " and you will see what I mean...

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Note added at 5 hrs (2007-09-19 23:58:53 GMT)
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You're right: I think it's smart to translate it less specifically if you're not sure from the context.

Note from asker:

Thanks, Clare. With hearing thresholds, however, "lower" normal would actually mean better hearing (with most tests, lower means worse), and I'm hesitant to use either of those words (lower or upper) in the translation -- we really don't know which limit is meant, if any. The way the sentence is written, with the "...except..." phrase, and understanding how the test is done, I've decided to just say "within normal limits" (in/at the border(s) of the norm, literally). Anything else would mean introducing a valuation that I cannot justify. Thanks again.